Another Kogi director is dead, family blames non payment of salaries

Another staff of Kogi State Ministry of Education, Haruna David, a deputy director in the quality control department of the ministry, on Tuesday slumped and died in the office over alleged non payment of salaries.

David, according to a ministry sources, died on his way to the 12:00 noon mandatory clock-in for civil servants in the state, a practice that was introduced by the current administration.

Those who had interactions with David at work earlier in the day told our correspondent that he was full of life in the morning.

He was, however, said to have complained that in the last few weeks, it has been difficult meeting his family obligations, adding that in the last three days, he had to beg from neighbors to feed his family with pap, popularly called akamu, at night.

According to a family source, the late director was last paid half salary in February 2018.

The source said the money could not pay his backlogs of debt he incurred before the payment of the 50 percent salary.

As at time of going to the press, workers on the payroll of the state government were last paid some in January, others in February.

It was also gathered that staff of the state tertiary institutions were paid their February salaries, with efforts ongoing to pay March salaries to workers of the various ministries.

During a visit to the state ministry of education by our correspondent shortly after the death of the director, it was observed that staff of the ministry were crying profusely, wondering who will die next of depression over non payment of salary.